black & white Archives - Infrared Conversions, IR Modifications & Photography Tutorials

6 Tips To Help You Capture Better Monochrome Photographs

The world of photography has certainly moved on from the days of black-and-white film photographers. But there is still a great deal that can be learned from capturing photos in black-and-white. Monochrome photos are incredibly difficult to master. Without the addition of colour, it makes your subject even more vital to the composition. But if you’ve never taken black-and-white photographs you should certainly try as you may be surprised by how much you enjoy the process. To help you on your way here are 6 tips for capturing better black-and-white photographs.

Shoot in colour and in RAW

This might sound weird but for black-and-white photographs, you should actually be photographing in colour. Even back in the days of Black-and-white film photography photographers used colour filters and subsequently a darkroom process called dodging and burning to capture black-and-white photos. Nowadays you can set your camera to capture black-and-white photos. But what the camera is really doing is converting colours into different shades of grey. Ideally, you should also be photographing in RAW format rather than jpeg. It is the best quality and file format for photography. This will then allow you to convert your colour image into monochrome in post-processing.

See in black-and-white

Even though you are going to be shooting in colour what you need to do is to train yourself to be able to see the world in black-and-white. The big difference between black-and-white photography as opposed to normal colour photography is that you are relying far more on contrast, shape and texture rather than colours. This means that when you have complementary colours that are converted to monochrome you need to have enough tonal contrast to make the subject stand out. Without this contrast, your images will begin to look flat and uninteresting. You can, of course, adjust these tones in editing software to introduce some tonal contrast. But as a good starting point is to try to find subjects that give you the contrast, to begin with.

Simple composition

The biggest challenge when it comes to black and white photography is to ensure that your main subject stands out. To be able to do that in a busy scene requires skill and a lot of practice. So to start with look for simple compositions. Frame your subject using something like the rule of thirds and learn how the different tones appear in a black-and-white image. As you become more and more comfortable with black and white photography you can tackle more complex scenes.

Long exposures and black-and-white photos

One of the best techniques to use for monochrome photography is long exposure. This works really effectively when you have soft areas in your image to contrast versus hard, sharp edges. For example, photographing rocks in the water or moving clouds against a cityscape can have fantastic effects in black-and-white photography. Long exposures in monochrome photography give you a really good contrast between bright areas and dark areas. But remember that in order to capture long exposure photos you will need to use a tripod and possibly filters. For example, if you are photographing during the day you’ll need a neutral density filter to help darken the scene to allow you to have a slow enough shutter speed to be able to capture a long exposure.

Learn to use editing software

As we have already discussed you should be photographing in colour and then converting into black-and-white in editing software. So this means that you will need to learn how to manipulate the image and turn it from a colour photo to monochrome. Whether you use Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom or another editing software, you will need to take your time to adjust the image using the various colour channels, brightness, contrast and other sliders to give you the desired result. Don’t just turn an image from colour to monochrome and leave it. More often than not this will just give you a pretty flat black and white image with not a lot of contrast.

This is an image just converted to monochrome and no adjustments added. As you can see it looks flat and uninteresting.

Selective editing

Back in the days of darkrooms and traditional film photography photographers used techniques known as dodging and burning to brighten or dark in certain areas of the photo. Burning will darken parts of the image and dodging will lighten them. For example, if you find that your highlights like the sky are too bright, you may choose to darken them using the burn tool. Or alternatively, if you have photographed a subject and it is too dark you may choose to lighten it by using the dodge tool. this is an incredibly powerful post-processing tool that can really take your photos to the next level.

Monochrome or black-and-white photography is a difficult art to master. But often what you will find is that if you can become a better black-and-white photographer your colour photos will also improve. Black-and-white photography makes you have to think more around the subject, the shapes and textures and so you begin to see the world with a different eye. If done well, a black-and-white photograph can look stunning anywhere. With the tips above and practice, you too can capture stunning black-and-white photos.

The Case for Black and White Photography

Brace yourself because here it comes…it’s another discussion about black and white photography. Don’t worry, it’s not going to be the same old “which is better?” or even worse, another “how to convert your photos to black and white” type of articles. Admittedly, I have written on both of those subjects extensively before but this time will be a little different.

Today, we’re going to strip down the idea of black and white photography and attempt to locate how this tried and true area of photography has managed to maintain its status in an arguably over saturated(pun intended) world of photographic modernism.

Monochrome and the Film Difference

It’s not secret that the black and white side of photo work is deeply rooted in film. Still, even though it makes for a solid title for this section, the term “monochrome” has been somehow mismanaged to the point where it is widely considered synonymous with black and white. This is wrong. Monochrome means “one color” or essentially an image made of shades of only one color. This color could be anything from black, yellow, red or pink. Grayscale might actually be a more appropriate term for true black and white. Even then the lines become somewhat blurred because it’s incredibly difficult to completely abolish all color toning from a black and white film negative. Take a look at these images of a 4×5 black and white negative(complete with film borders)and I’ll show you what I mean.

The first photo is a color rendition of the negative. You’ll notice that is is toned quite blue based on the development. This is due to a few factors but the point is virtually all black and white photographs aren’t exactly black and white. Rather, they are toned based on the type of film emulsion and the development techniques used. Now, look at that same piece of film after I have digitally converted it to black and white in Lightroom.

See the difference? I say all of that to say this: modern digital photography often paints a one dimensional representation of black and white images. True black and white photographs aren’t usually black and white at all or not even monochromatic. Instead, they are a carefully mapped presentation of tonal ranges. Remember this the next time you click a button to make your photo black and white. Sure, it might remove the color but the work shouldn’t stop there.

Speaking of color…

Is Color Necessary?

Yes, color is needed. Is it always needed? Absolutely not. There are times when a photo is suited to black and white and times when it is not. Well, who decides? That question is also deceptively simple to answer. It’s you, you’re the one who decides. Does the color play a role in the emotion or feeling you mean to convey or does it get in the way? These are most certainly murky waters to wade.

Today, we don’t even have to approach color or black and white photography the same way as we did thirty or even twenty years ago. Take the very site you’re reading this article on right now. LifePixel specializes in infrared converted cameras that brings the world of color into a new realm of creative exchange. Infrared cameras see light differently than our own eyes. As a result, completely familiar colors become foreign and black and white pictures take on a completely new feel. When you think about color and how it relates to photography you must understand that even the things we see are wholly subjective to our own perception.

Some Closing Thoughts…

If you haven’t been able to tell by now the purpose of this article isn’t to promote the merits of one type of photo over another. There’s plenty of room even now for both color and black and white photography. In fact, a lot of it comes down to personal taste and how we perceive the world around us. At the same time, remember to look deeper into your work and find what gives it meaning to you. Does color play a part? Does it make more of a connection in black and white? Whatever direction you choose just make sure that the original intent of the photo shines through.

Remembering Why You Shoot

There are times when the most simple of explanations eludes us. When it comes to photography, or more specifically to the point of making strong photographs, we must be fully aware. Not just aware of our settings and camera placement but also our intent. Oddly enough, it’s frightfully easy to lose this awareness during the very process of doing the thing which we love. What I’m so gently hinting at here is this: do you know why you make photographs? Are you aware on an internal level why you you shoot what you shoot?

In this article we’re going to take a look at why we can so easily lose sight of our purpose while making photos. This artistic straying can happen gradually or on a picture by picture basis. Perhaps more importantly we will also examine how you can regain your a creative awareness and become a more deliberate, purposeful photographer.

Obsessing with the Technical

When you think about it there are arguably very few absolutes when it comes to photography. So, why does the pursuit of technical perfection occupy such a large corner of our creative minds? Never place more emphasis on the technical aspects of photography than you do on expressing the feeling of a scene.

How many incredible photographs have you seen that are underexposed? Over exposed? Maybe they are slightly out of focus. The worth of those photographs or any other image doesn’t lie in the balance of a histogram or tack focus. They move us because they were made with intent and show the truth and beauty of a moment. Don’t put so much attention into the way you capture a photograph that forget why you wanted to shoot it in the first place.

Burnout

If you make photographs long enough there will come a dark and wretched day when you simply become tired of it all. It might happen sooner than later or it might take years but to some degree or another you will have to face burnout. When you become tired of shooting there just doesn’t seem to be anything out there to make pictures of that interests you. You just don’t get the joy from the process as you once did.

Don’t worry…this literally happens to us all and it isn’t limited to one event. There are highs and lows throughout a photographer’s journey. The key remedy is somewhat paradoxical, however. To beat burnout you take a break but not altogether stop shooting. Try to take a rest from your camera(and it from you) and breathe for a while without making photographs. When you begin to say “Man, I wish I had my camera with me” you will know you are cured. Do this as needed or as directed by a photo writer….

Self-Doubt

The best way to forget why you make photographs is by trying to make them them exactly the way someone else does. Be mindful that there is an incredibly fine line between inspiration and emulation. Never allow yourself to sacrifice how you want to capture a photograph based on the idea that it’s not the “right way” or just because it might not look like someone else’s version.

There could be an entire book written on this point but I’ll do you the favor of brevity. It’s perfectly alright to absolutely love the way other photographers images might look; that’s great, learn how to make yours in a similar way. But only do this if it fits with your own vision. Don’t do it for ‘likes’, shares, or any other reason that would otherwise cause you to shoot with anything but your own photograph in mind.

Final Thoughts….

Today, it’s easier than ever to allow yourself to forget why you make your photographs. We are constantly bombarded by new and better equipment that make us lose sight of what makes a good photo. Sometimes we simply become tired of shooting and this causes us to forget why we love making images at all. And what maybe be the most common danger, sometimes we doubt our own instincts as photographers. All these reason, and no doubt others, can make us forget our own intent. Luckily, they can all be overcome and if you find yourself in any of the circumstances I’ve mentioned then I hope this article gives you a helping hand. Have fun with what you do and always remember why you do it!

The Great Minor White and Infrared Photography

Born in 1908, Minor White was something different in terms of how and why he photographed. He incorporated as much of his own beliefs and philosophies into his work as he did photographic technique. His work is a mix of his mentality and the emotion he felt towards a scene or subject. He injected a part of himself into all the photographs he made. Bestowed by him are such words as “The photographer projects himself into everything he sees, identifying himself with everything in order to know it and to feel it better.” and one of my personal favorite quotes about us photographer’s mentality “…all photographs are self-portraits”.

Minor White-By Imogene Cunningham

It was with the existential mindset that White approached his photographs and perhaps there was none of his work as idealistically surreal as his adventures into the world of infrared. Not only was he a prolific photographer in the artistic and technical sense but he was one of the early practitioners of infrared photography who brought it’s incredible appeal to the masses. The IR images he made, just like his other works, projected a world blended with both the physical landscape and his own personal creativity.

By Minor White, 1958

By Minor White, 1955

By Minor White, 1955

Minor White and Infrared

How did Minor White make his IR photographs? With magic…. Well no, not exactly magic, but it certainly looked that way. Minor White used black and white infrared film, usually large format 4×5, to capture his dreamlike scenes. The infrared or more accurately “near-infrared” light spectrum falls around the 700-1200nm range and infrared film is manufactured to be sensitive to these wavelengths. However, seeing as IR film is also still sensitive to other wavelengths of light, IR filters must also be attached to the camera lens in order to filter out other types of unwanted light that falls in the more visible spectral range. It’s this filtration of the normally visible light and the inclusion of the near IR spectrum which we generally don’t see which gives IR photography their ghost-like quality. Development of the IR is surprising the same as many other conventional black and white films and requires basic darkroom techniques and chemicals.

IR Lens Filters

IR 35mm film

You may be wondering, “So why can’t I just use an IR filter on my digital camera to make IR photos?” And that’s good question. The answer lies in the very construction of most modern digital cameras themselves. IR wavelengths are generally unwanted and in conventional photography and therefore modern digital cameras have a built in IR filter that is placed in front of the image sensor to block out IR light. Even if an IR filter was placed on the lens the resulting transmitted IR light would in turn be filtered out by the camera’s own internal filter. So, how can you enable your digital camera to make IR photographs? Read on….

IR Photography in the Digital Age

As I mentioned earlier, the largest obstacle that stands in the way of making IR images with your currently digital camera is the built in IR sensor filter inside your camera. So if you want to venture into the world of IR photography this filter must be modified through an infrared camera conversion process.

New IR translucent filter being installed

This means that your camera’s sensor is now sensitive to incoming IR light. There are also many other possibilities to expand your infrared horizons with today’s digital camera bodies. Full spectrum, color IR, and a host of other tailored IR imaging effects can be produced depending on the type of conversion and IR lens filter combinations you happen to choose. The benefits to Find out more about infrared conversion possibilities here.

A Final Word About Minor White and Infrared Photography

The work of Minor White was profound, beautiful, innovative, provocative, and at times quite sad. His ventures into the world of IR photography showed us a the wonderment that is all around us, yet invisible all the same. His images speak volumes to the life he lived and to the way he approached the art of photography.

Today, we have so many ways to practice IR photowork whether it is with film and filters or with our digital cameras through a dedicated IR conversion. If you are considering the latter route, be sure to learn as much as possible about the possibilities and limits of digital IR conversions. Make sure whoever you trust your beloved camera to has the reputation for quality that you and your gear deserve. Read more about IR digital camera conversion here at LifePixel and be sure to check out what people just like you have to say about the level of service offered by the LifePixel team!

Previsualziation: Knowing Before the Shot

Previsualization, or simply “visualization”, is one of the most simply yet alarmingly difficult aspect of making your own photograph become more than just the some of their parts. When we “previsualize” our images it means that the appearance of the final outcome before we ever click the shutter button. The method of previsualization was championed by the photographically indomitable Ansel Adams who believed the best way to convey wholeness within a photograph was to strive to see it in your minds eye from the get go. Everything else would then be a matter of what needs to be done in order to reach your personally desired outcome.

But how is it done? Or more importantly, how can you learn to do it yourself? Ansel gave us a lot to go on and we can learn a lot from his legacy. At the same time, we can mesh together with modern digital techniques and expound into something I like to call dynamic visualization. We’ll get more into that in just a minute. But first, let’s talk about how you can begin to visualize the finished photograph before you actually make it manifest itself from your camera.

Learning to “See”

Teaching yourself to see the finished product on the front end of the process isn’t an easy thing to accomplish, especially not right out of the gate. The ability to visualize a finished photograph is somewhat paradoxical due to the fact that a large component of the skill involves shooting a lot of photographs. This means that visualization is a product of repetition. Each time you make a photograph, you see the effect of shooting at the technical factors you have selected. Pay close attention to what settings you use!

Once you begin to mentally catalog the cause and effect relationship between your techniques and their respective outcomes you will then gradually learn to approximate the particular look of a finished image before it is actually shot.

Be Patient

The largest detriment in learning how to visualize your finished photos is that confidence-killing frustration that often sneaks in from perceived failure. Will you be able to anticipate the exact outcome of your photographs each and every time? Of course not. Failure is an incredible teacher and this is especially true when it comes to learning the skill of photographic visualization.

So, don’t allow yourself to be discouraged by the tedium. Shoot as often as you can, practice seeing the finished photo in your mind, observe the results, and then apply those outcomes to future photographs. I assure you that being able to see a finished photo(or close approximation) will slowly begin to happen on its own.

Dynamic Visualization in the Digital Age

I want to speak briefly on the progression of the visualization process as it pertains to today’s digitally integrated world of photography. The technique is one I have coined as “Dynamic Visualization” and is a direct evolution of the visualization idea of Ansel Adams. It involves the instant feedback we now are capable of achieving with our digital photographs. As we no longer have to wait for development of our film to be completed before we see the results of our efforts, the process of visualization changes. We can now allow the readily displayed outcome of our photos to directly impact the mechanism of visualization in a much quicker and more dynamic fashion.

What I mean here is that we immediately view the image we have just captured and that quick feedback can organically spur our creativity in real-time. This can lead to alternative compositions and exposure combinations that we might not have otherwise considered, thusly changing the final visualized image in our minds. This dynamic visualization could in fact be the continuation of Ansels visualization method. We first visualize the finished photo we want to make, receive real-time feedback from our digital displays, and then use that information to mold alternate(possible better) visualizations.

Final Thoughts on Visualization

The hard truth about learning visualization is that it takes time, effort, and patience. There are no real shortcuts when it comes to teaching yourself to “see” a photograph before it’s made. Shoot as much as you can and observe the results carefully. See the results of your work and study your own work. Visualization happens as much by physical labor as it does by mental flexibility. The key is to keep trying until that visualization “aha” moment makes its way to you. Just keep shooting!

Real talk: Reasons Your Photography Isn’t Improving

There comes a time when we feel as if our photography has hit somewhat of a creative wall. Our photos seem to have become stagnant. This kind of leveling off of our photo work is frustrating and can lead to self doubt about the quality of our work. In some cases, this self doubt can spiral out of control and leave us questioning our purpose as photographers. But there’s no need to despair! There are so many reasons why our photographs seem to be lacking that same fire they once had or why from a technical standpoint they have become lackluster.

Sometimes the problem with our work is only noticeable to ourselves. After all, each one of is our own worst critic. Whatever the personal reason for the dissatisfaction with our current progress as photo makers I can guarantee you are not the first one to share in the frustration. That being said, finding the cause of the problem requires being honest with yourself and the understanding that you are the only one who can pull yourself out of the rut.

Here a few common causes for why your photographs aren’t of the quality you feel they should be.

You’re not shooting enough

Practice makes perfect. Or if we’re being honest, practice makes “better”. If you find a way to shoot a “perfect” photograph please let me know! But the truth is, the more photographs you make the better your photographs will inevitably become.

Shooting more frequently will refine your craft not only from a technical and compositional standpoint but also in proficiency with our camera gear. Set a goal for yourself to shoot four or five “keepers” every week to keep your mind fresh and your creativity from growing stale.

You’ve become complacent

We all strive for success through our photography. Even though “success” is defined in many different ways all of us seek for a measure of accomplishment with our work; either personally, creatively, or financially. Oddly enough, the problem arises after we have began to achieve our goals and find success due to the fact we can become lazy.

In our minds, reaching a goal can be a culmination and if we don’t set higher and higher goals complacency can weasel it’s way into our work. Always be humble when you receive accolades for your photography and keep pushing yourself to go farther. Don’t ever feel like you have nothing else to learn, nothing else to do, or nothing new to shoot. There’s always a next level.

Not recognizing there’s a problem

It might seem paradoxical, but never coming to the realization that your work isn’t what it could be is one of the most dangerous pitfalls of all. There’s no shame in understanding that your have more to learn. We all do. We should never blindly believe that we know all there is to know.

Just as with becoming complacent there is no way to move forward with our skill if we feel as if we’ve already reached the highest point we can achieve. Always strive to constantly triage your skills, your gear, and your mindset towards your own work. Again, be honest with yourself and if you see room for improvement actively seek ways to make a change for the better.

In closing….

Pinpointing the reasons why your photography isn’t improving the way you feel it should be begins with being real with yourself. Why do you feel your photos could be better? Are their technical hurdles you need to learn more about? Are you actively applying yourself to your work?

If you do feel like your photos could be more impactful or of better quality don’t be ashamed to admit it to yourself! It’s the only way you can improve. And believe me, every photographer, no matter what their perceived level of skill or experience, always has room to improve some area of their shooting. You are most definitely not alone.

Infrared Haze Reduction

Did you ever wonder why IR landscape photos look so crispy sharp? It may not be obvious. But photographing in the near-infrared part of the spectrum has some definite benefits over photographing visible light, especially for landscape photography.

Before we get into the photography portion, let’s take a look at some of the science involved. You might have noticed that infrared light has some ability to penetrate the haze in the air. Why is that? Haze is caused by light scattering off particles in the air. By shooting our photos in IR (longer wavelengths) we can take advantage of some science to reduce the haze that is apparent in our photos.

To help understand the scattering mechanisms, it’s important to understand what I mean by wavelength. Sure it’s related to the color. But why? Light is an electromagnetic wave. All waves can be measured by frequency (like broadcast radio waves) or by wavelength (like light). Frequency in inversely related to wavelength. The color of light depends on the wavelength – the length of the light wave (see the graphic below). If you could see the waves you could measure the distance in order to obtain the wavelength. But the wavelength of visible light is very small. It’s measured in nanometers (billionth’s of a meter). So you’ll need a pretty small ruler. Around the visible light spectrum, the longer wavelengths are associated with orange, red and infrared and shorter wavelengths with blue, purple and ultraviolet light.

Visible light is only a small part of the entire electromagnetic spectrum (EM). You can see where X-rays and gamma rays or microwaves and radio waves lie in the EM spectrum.

Now that the science is out of the way, let’s dive into the photography. What is it that makes the haze apparent in photographs? It’s scattering. But what’s causing the scattering and why? When light hits objects it’s scattered. Blow a little smoke in the air and shine a flashlight on it. What you’re seeing is light being scattered by the smoke particles in the air. But how light is scattered depends highly on the size of the media doing the scattering.

Non-selective scattering is a mechanism that occurs with larger particles (much larger than the wavelength of the light being scattered). This occurs mainly with larger water droplets, ice crystals and similarly sized atmospheric particles. This scattering occurs equally for all wavelengths. So shooting in IR doesn’t provide any benefit over traditional color photography.
Mie scattering is a scattering occurs with atmospheric particles that are approximately the same size as the wavelength being scattered. These particles are typically spherical in nature and are characterized by dust, pollen and water vapor (droplets). Although there is some wavelength dependence, typically all colors are scattered equally. As an example, clouds appear white since the water vapor is being scattered equally across all colors.
Rayleigh scattering is where the magic happens for IR photographers. This scattering occurs mainly on the molecular level, when the particles are much smaller than the wavelength of light being scattered. In the atmosphere this is primarily caused by oxygen and nitrogen molecules. These molecules absorb the light and re-emit it in a random direction, thus scattering the light. However, the amount of Rayleigh scattering that occurs is inversely proportional to the 4^th-power of the wavelength. Knowing this, it is easy to see that infrared light (~800nm) is scattered 1/16 as much as blue light (~400nm).

At ground level, all 3 scattering mechanism can influence the production and of haze. As a result, the haze-penetrating benefits if IR photography are not as strong. Even so, the effects are still quite evident. Take a look at the photo below. The top photo was shot with my cell phone and the bottom with full spectrum camera and IR filter.

A scene photographed with a color camera showcasing the haze on the distant mountains.

The same scene photographed at 740nm. Notice the reduction in haze and improved detail.

I’ve seen the benefit of shooting IR landscapes for many years. However, it is quite shocking to see the difference when shooting from an airplane. There is less dust at higher altitudes. This means that the majority of the scattering is done by Rayleigh scattering. As we already learned, this scattering is highly wavelength dependent. So the difference between visible and IR photos is much more dramatic.

The photograph above is one I shot while flying over central Hungary. It was the first time I’d shot any IR from an airplane. The ground was heavily obscured by haze. After I processed the IR image, I was surprised by the clarity and the appearance of the mountains on the horizon. It’s a perfect example of the powerful haze reduction power of IR photography. This effect is what makes infrared aerial photography such a powerful tool for scientists and those requiring clear images of the ground. Here are a couple of my color vs. IR comparison photos.

Visible Light photo West of Austin Texas

Same photo in 740nm IR

Visible light photo of West Texas, including Guadalupe peak (upper RH side) and Salt Flats.

Same photo in 740nm IR. White Sands National Monument is visible in the upper LH portion of the image, more than 100 miles away.

Hopefully, you pulled something useful out of this blog. But at the very least, I hope you see how IR photography can be used to reduce the haze in photographs. The advantage can be striking and significantly improve the clarity of IR images. I’ve done landscape photography for many years. However, shooting in IR has allowed me to see landscapes in a totally different light (pun intended).

Working a Scene – Multiple Compositions

“I wish I would have…”

Hate to have those words pass through my mind. Usually, you won’t hear them unless enough time wasn’t taken shooting options at a scene. It doesn’t take much time and the heartache saved, especially when photographing a place where conditions are very good or it might be difficult or impossible to return.

I’m talking about trying different ideas when photographing a subject. Many times over the years I’ve caught myself not looking for more than the obvious when making images. Let’s look at some of the options in composition that were added for a totally different feel in each image. This was from an infrared session in the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona. The scene is Courthouse Butte in the Village of Oak Creek. It happens to be a few minutes away from my house and I photograph it often. Even then, especially when the clouds are working, I want to get the most out of the session or even a quick stop, as possible.

The main scene Courthouse Butte

A relatively small change in framing can make a big difference in the feel of a place. Let’s look at some possibilities.

A vertical version that features the tree as subject with Courthouse as a secondary subject.

Another vertical version with lots of open sky. Possibilities include full page magazine or cover option.

How about square??

Another possible cover use with slightly different composition, totally different feel even though it’s the same basic subject.

The Capture Process

Images were captured with the Lumix G6 which was converted to IR by LifePixel. My current workflow when shooting is to bracket one stop over and one stop under in RAW plus jpeg. For the jpeg the camera is set to process to black and white. This gives me a very good feel for the IR look as I shooting right on the back of the camera. You can set your camera to black & white but if you are only shooting in RAW Mode you will only see the BW image on the back of the camera. When you download your images the BW preview will be stripped from the image because you asked for ONLY the RAW info. The camera’s settings are only ‘baked in’ to the file if you are capturing jpeg files.

For this particular set of files I used the RAW file with the middle exposure. I processed in Adobe Camera RAW. The settings were to bring the Temperature Slider all the way to Blue and the Tint Slider all the way to green. Contrast was bumped up. Highlights brought down a little. Shadows up. Whites up. Blacks down. Clarity up a bit. Remove all Saturation.

Here’s what the settings looked like in the Camera RAW dialog box.

After the files were opened in Photoshop I used the (recently made free) NIK Color FX Pro 4 plugin with the Glamour Glow setting to get the IR ‘glow’ in the highlights.

One more thought when you are working a good subject. Sometimes it makes sense to get a totally different view. Got in the car and looked for a totally new composition.

Yours in Creative Photography, Bob